Sibley County – Kim Flanaghan, Director of Emergency Management, today urged residents to take active steps to avoid getting or spreading the flu.

"We have seen a noticeable increase in the number of flu cases and flu-related hospitalizations in our region in the last few weeks," says Eric Weller, Emergency Medical Services Coordinator, South Central Healthcare Coalition. “At this point we are asking members of the public to join us in reversing that trend." According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 1020 people have been hospitalized with Influenza so far this 2017/2018 Flu season. Positive cases have doubled over the last few weeks.